Masked Love
by Wolfa Moon
Summary: Howard Stark is a man. Sally Stark is the woman behind the mask of Howard Stark. Yet even veiled she finds love amongst the commandos. Set During Captain America: First Avenger.


Masked Love

By: Wolfa Moon

Summary: Howard Stark is a man. Sally Stark is the woman behind the mask of Howard Stark. Yet even veiled she finds love amongst the commandos. Set During Captain America: First Avenger.

Disclaimer: No own. Just an idea.

/Masked Love/

Captain Steve Rogers had just gotten back from one of his many missions to be debriefed and refortified. Told to report to Howard Stark about some new toys for his team in a nearby camp. Upon arrival to the camp they saw flames and bodies scattered. Running forward to see the damage and how they can help. Upon arrival, No military escort left. Spying a scientist who was helping another with a bandage he marches over.

"Where's Stark?" he barks. Now so used to being the soldier. He has the voice down of command. They looked up at him. Half his face covered with dirt the other half with blood.

"There." He points to some awkward standing tents.

"See where you can help," he told his men. Rogers moves toward the half tent. Moving around to see Howard's back. Arm moving, motioning to one of the other scientist left to leave it.

"I said leave it. Get out of here." The tone harsh and pained. The lackey he is talking to looks at the captain. Nodding to Steve he run off. Their stoic leader will be looked after. Also probably under rule of protect. Who better to protect him then Captain America.

The back is covered in dirt and blood.

"Stark," the back stiffens.

"Can't get a minute can I." He comes around to face the techno wizard. The wizard looks hagrid and worse for wear. Stark runs a hand through his hair.

"Stark?"

"I'm here captain." Most of the world knew the tyrant and ego of Howard Stark. A man who really is all on his own in a different level of knowledge. All alone. More alone than Steve ever was. He had Bucky. Howard only had his toys.

Crouching down to look at the dirt, blood covered man.

"You okay?" Stark laughs at that.

"No, I am not okay. I had three of my own staff blow up right in front of me. They covered me and…"

"They must have thought you were worth it."

"I'm not…" he began to rise but his arms circle his abdomen bending in half.

"Stark," he moves to help. "MEDIC!"

"No, no doctor."

"You're hurt."

"I can't." Steve moves in trying to see but Howard backs off.

"Stark," command in his voice.

"Steve NO." Steve moves toward the stubborn man moving the singed arms to reveal an equally singed and torn shirt. Then he sees it and gulps.

"Um," he stutters as Howard moves back away from him. Cringing away. "Howard, what?" the man looks at him. He had seen something he had seen in books and flaunted at him since becoming the captain. "Howard?"

"You can't tell anyone."

"You're a… you're a…"

"Female, Steve." Another voice vocals his unspoken. They both look up to see Bucky approaching them with a new shirt and jacket. "Here Sally."

"Thank you, James." The voice goes more feminine as she accepts the clothes. Steve looks to his best friend.

"You knew?"

"Um, yeah." Steve looks at him. Bucky shakes his head. "No we haven't. I walked in on her in the locker room. Trying to heal herself, again." He comes over to kneel before her. "How bad is it?"

"Don't know." Steve watches them stare at each other. He also watches his friend turn into the caregiver he knew all the while when he grew up. His protector. The world has changed so much. Yet they are side by side. Bucky turns to Steve.

"Keep a look out."

"Gotcha." Steve turns but still listens.

Bucky looks at Howard, Sally Stark. Her fake mustache is partially burnt. Hair everywhere. Blood, tears, dirt cover her person. Moving back the remains of the shirt he sees the full corset to keep the boobs at bay. It is dirty yet there is real true her red blood.

"We need to take this off."

"I can't."

"Sally, please."

"People will see."

"Trust me." Her eyes stare at him then to Steve. "You can trust Steve." Steve looks over at his name. Her eyes on him. Sure she supplied the weapons. Made them gadgets that saved their lives. But to actually hold it in the palm of your hand.

"I won't tell." Sally looks at him. He looks at her in a new light. He knew the man, the weapons supplier. This though, those eyes he saw a hurt woman. "I promise."

"Ok," she turns to the side so Bucky can get to the strings. Steve begins to turn.

"I'm gonna need help."

"Never needed it before," she laughs at Bucky's comment. They both smile.

"Steve, help me." Steve comes over to help.

"I'm not sure if I should."

"Don't worry I won't tell Peggy." Stark informs him. Taking a well calloused hand in his war worn ones.

"Does she know that you are…"

"Female, yes. She understands more than most people Living in a mans world." she hisses as Bucky presses on her bleeding side.

"Not to bad. Need to clean and bandage." She nods to his administrations. Steve looks down as Bucky has removed part of the corset exposing the bleeding wound and the upper cup of a breast. Turning his head quickly in order to look at Howard's face.

"What happened?" her eyes meet his.

"We were setting up and everything." Tosses an arm in the air. "Sent a message out. Then the next moment we were bombarded." She shakes her head. Steve looks at her wondering what she would look like with long hair and no mustache. Same mustache that is still falling off. Reaching forward he removes it. She looks at him oddly as he holds the fine piece of fur. She smirks. "I have more in my jacket pocket." She says as looking to the left at were the ruminants were.

"And then what happened?" she sighs and hisses at the same time. Bucky threading the wound together. It's not too deep but deep enough.

"Hell in a hand basket. Bombs dropped. Shots fired. The two scientist pushing back near the crates. Them blowing up before me." She closes her eyes. Still seeing them be turned into chunky soup before her. "I couldn't do anything to help them."

"We'll your alive and that is all that matters." She looks down at Bucky at his comment.

"Are you sure that I matter?"

"No one I would rather trust when realigning my scopes."

"Thank you James." Bucky smirks as he bandages the wound.

"We need to get you cleaned."

"I need to run inventory. How many others survived?" Rogers and Barnes share a look. "That bad."

Footsteps sound toward them. Bucky picks up the jacket and places it over Howards upper exposed form. Gabe comes around shaking his head. Steve just looks at him to report.

"Not good. It's seems just a simple blow away then move on."

"Survivors?" Gabe looks to Stark who is shaking under the new jacket. the silence is not a good sign. Rogers asks,

"What about the other two?"

"The one who he bounded, sir, half the head was gone. The other had a critical wound to the chest. Scared the hell out of us when he collapsed. And the last… We didn't know."

"All are dead?" Howard spoke.

"Yes sir. Sorry sir."

"So am I," the voice goes low. The body tilting toward the crates. Bucky moves with Howard. Steve watches as Gabe's eyes return sad feeling for the lone scientist. Each has probably pictured losing others around them. Yet they always seemed to prevail.

"Set up camp," Steve orders. "Get some soup cooking."

"Check the crates." Howard says lower then before. Steve hears it.

"Check everything you can. See what remains. Can't waste the light."

"Yes sir," he nods to them. Bucky looks to Steve.

"So what's the plan?"

"Camp, rest. Get Stark back to command." Bucky nods to this looking down at the leaning scientist. "Is she okay?"

"She's a fighter even if she doesn't see it."

"He's a scientist."

"Of weapons. So you can imagine where the mind goes to think these up." Steve never thought of that. "I'll set up a tent. Watch her." Bucky moves back to get his supplies.

"Bucky?" he looks at him. "Are you and her, um, dancing?"

"I don't kiss and tell." Smirking he walks off a ways. Steve kneels before Stark as she has her hands clasped in the other. Breathing ragged. For the first time looking at her. Trying to see.

"I'm still here captain."

"I know just," you're a woman. She smiles.

"Too smart for my own good. I applied to schools as Sally Stark. Not so keen on me show ponying them up. So on came the mask of Howard Stark and welcome with open arms."

"Peggy?"

"Is British. Different set of rules. Sure we can spy and fight like the best of yah. But America needs us women folk at home to resupply the nation with more troops." He looks at her. He was in the same boat till the super serum. He could sympathize.

"Yeah the weak need to collect scrap metal in their little red wagon." She smiles at him.

"Right," she begins to get up. Steve reaches out grabbing a good strong hold of her arm. "I'm fine."

"Sure you are," he pulls Stark close to him. Feel her shivering. Either adrenaline or pain rippling through her. "Come on, Stark."

"I'm…" Steve catches her as all her energy went out. Shocked to his core he hauls her up into his arms bridal style.

"Bucky," he calls. Bucky comes running around. His eyes searching the sight before him. Steve looks to Bucky then also the other commandos come with.

"What the…" Dugan begins but gets cut off from a glare by Steve. Bucky moves in to take her. Steve looks at Bucky for a moment. The concern there, the love he dare not fully show in front of others. But then Bucky doesn't care about them seeing. He takes Sally into his arms. Turning he glares at the commandos.

"Not a word." The others watch as Bucky passes them.

Jacques says something to Gabriel. Gabriel in turn looks to the French men.

"What he says?" Steve asked. The commandos seemed to clam up at their captains' voice. "Tell me."

"Um, he didn't know James flew that way." Gabriel looks uncomfortable.

"What's wrong with that?" he challenged.

"Don't know what the big problem is," Falsworth began around his cigarette. "Starke's a girl." He informs them all. Steve looks at their British member. "It's quiet obvious. Especially when her jacket was exposing her, um," he motions to his chest. Dum Dum whistles.

"Learn something new each day."

"You guys can't tell anybody." Steve commands.

"Who we gonna tell," Morita finally adds his two cents. The others look from one another. All nodding in agreement that they can keep a secret. Steve smiles at his team. It's amazing how close they all have become.

/Masked Love/

Bucky laid her down on a makeshift bed of crates and blankets. He really couldn't admit to himself that he was falling for the mastermind. Well some part of him could. Running a hand and through her blood sticky hair. Needing to really clean it. Laying his jacket on top of her. Smiling in her sleep as he runs a hand down her face. He has never been this fiercely protective of someone since Steve. Steve now protects them. Sure he is their sniper. But her, who has to hide herself from everyone. So strong yet vulnerable.

"James," she sleepily slurs.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Always. Sleep." She does. Standing up he watches her till he is outside the tent. The other commandoes and captain look to him.

"How is she?" Steve asks. Bucky gets defensive on the secret being let out of the bag. Yet the other commandos look to him for info. Then he sees it, they know.

"She's fine. And you guys are okay with it?"

"Hey she keeps giving us the best toys I have no problems." Dum Dum noted. Bucky looks around.

"She's resting." Dum Dum nodded Turning from them to take watch. The others look to the captain who makes his way to Bucky.

"Morita contact command. Inform them that Stark is ok but the rest of the staff are not."

"Got it, Capt." He heads off. Gabriel and Jacques step up.

"You two do inventory. See what toys we have and try and figure out if anything was stolen."

"Yes sir," the men went off to work. Steve turns to his friend. "You got her?"

"She's got me."

"It's like that?" Bucky looks up to his best friends.

"She's the one." The one gal who he would do anything for. Steve smiles at his friend.

"I'm happy for you." He really is. Bucky has watched over him his whole life till the war separated them. Then to come back together and he be the big brother. But this went beyond the brotherly love and protection. This was the love he has for Peggy and doesn't move forth with it. "So why did you ask Peggy to dance?"

"Cause you like her." Bucky moves so he is sitting beside the unconscious genius. "Go check on them," make sure they are really okay with this.

"You'll be here."

"Where else am I gonna go." True his heart is laying there on the makeshift cot. Her cloths not dainty. Her hair short like a mans but still long enough to not be military regulation.

/Masked Love/

The day passed into night. The commandos join around the fire to eat their meal.

"So is Stark really a female?" Jacques ask the group. Finally working the words out. They look to Steve to confirm. He looks around them. It really is not his place to say. Taking another mouthful of food he looks at his troupes.

"Yes, I am." The men stand as Sally comes out to join the group. She had donned on a military uniform and Bucky's jacket. He followed close beside her as she joins the rest of the men. "Please sit." Dum Dum offers his seat to her. She smiles at him while taking the offered. "Thank you, Timothy." He blushes at that. She smiles.

"Timothy?" Steve asks. Dum Dum shrugs. "I know all your names." The voice has changed a few octaves.

"So you have always been a female?" Gabriel asks shyly. She smiles at him knowingly. Letting the men change before her. Seeing more of them then a woman should.

"Don't worry your virtue is safe. As I hope my secret is with you." They gave nods before still staring at her. "No, this was not an experiment gone awry. I was born female."

"So you hid?" she nods to Falsworth inquiry. "A damn shame that you do. You are quiet the lady."

"Thank you, Monty." The two share a smile. Bucky bristles a little at this. Scooting himself closer to her giving her some food. She looks down at it noticing it is also his share as well of the meager feast. "James," she scolds. He smiles at being caught. The two sit and share the meal.

The commandos look on with grins. Glad to see their frosty sniper thaw a little around the girl. Know the man is a great warrior and a good man worth following. Yet to see the gentle side a welcome surprise.

"How badly was my stuff damaged?"

"Not to bad," Falsworth informed. "Some boxes took a licking but all are well." They watch as her features change. Her mind going into turbo of what was vital or not.

"Did you see any labeled Forge?"

"Yeah we saw a few." Gabriel spoke, "What is it? A new weapon?"

"Something like that." She had her secrets. Hell she created most of the secrets that they use in daily use. "This stew is terrible, sorry," the group laughs looking to the Captain. She looks at him. "You?"

"Yeah."

"Stick to being a hero." The commandos laugh at their captain.

"Alright, alright. Let's see you do better."

"See you at breakfast." She gets up to go look over her remnants.

Bucky looks around at the others before going to follow her.

"Barnes is following her around like a puppy," Morita spoke for the first time in along time.

"More like guard dog." Falsworth supplied. The group went on to talk about things. More who was taking watch first.

Bucky followed her into one of the fixed tents.

"Sally?" She looks over her shoulder at him as she wipes some blood covering the lock. He comes to stand beside her. She moves back to lean into him. Wrapping his arms around her he holds her close. "Hey I'm here," he speaks into her hair. Speaks right next to her ear.

"When this war is over, let's get out of here. Go someplace no one has heard of Howard Stark."

"And where would that be?"

"I hear Fuji is nice." he smiles into her hair. "Open beaches, water so clear you can see the bottom." To be free of the world. "Sun shinning and warm weather, no seasons." The war to be over. "Just the two of us, secluded." For her to be free of the man's world.

"Sounds nice." She turns in his arms.

"So you want to go?"

"What about Steve?"

"He can bring Peggy. Raise a few kids." He looks into her eyes.

"Kids?"

"One or two." James grins at his genius. The woman who was planning a future with him. Who has hope for the future? With her brain she is hope for the future, a better one.

"What about your work?"

"I can still work silently, if need be. But I want you James Barnes by my side. You make me happy." He smiles like an idiot.

"You make me happy too."

"So kiss me, silly." he obliges.

Captain listened to them talk and make plans. Then they begin to kiss and he blushes. His friend, his brother, is happy. Then there are more sounds. Time to tune out and mind the troops.

/Masked Love/

Steve watches her work silently. The news had come in for her a few days ago about Bucky. He had wanted to be the one to tell her. Peggy informed him that she did inform her. That Sally had locked herself in her room for a while then came out about 5 hours later and dove right into work.

Still standing he observed her. He had finally made it back to base. Informed she had been working and working. No breaks.

"What are you doing, here?" turning she spies him near a table with a filled fish tank on it. His finger raised to tap the glass.

"Don't touch that."

"What is it?"

"It's a project."

"Project?"

"Forge."

"It looks living."

"It is in a way. It's a side project."

"What's it do?"

"It duplicates."

"Duplicates what?"

"Who?"

"What?" she smiles at him. Turning back to her work. She smiles at the knowledge she poses over them. Moving over to stand beside him.

"It's to create another human person, a duplicate." She looks to the captain. "They are still trying to find ways to reverse what the good doc did to you. I'm just going about it a different way."

"You're gonna make a copy of me."

"It's experimental. I doubt it will ever take."

"So this is me?" He asks looking into the tank filled with water, he guesses. Then the thing looking like a jellyfish.

"No, me." he looks at her. "Two is better than one. All your blood is held in a special vault."

"I could always give you a vial."

"I'd appreciate that." She turns moving to another table.

"Sally?"

"Don't."

"Sally?" she slams her hand on the table.

"No, Steve please. Just let me," imagine he is alive and out there still. Let me have a dream.

"I'm sorry."

"No," she slams her hand on the table. She begins to cry with anger, rage, and loss. Steve grabs her before she hurts herself. Pulling her close to his chest. "No, Steve, he can't."

"I'm sorry." Steve began to let himself mourn. His emotions finally able to be released. It is just them. Two people who loved the same man. Who are always gonna miss them for the rest of their lives.

/Masked Love/

The rest of Captain America: The first Avenger

Ice Time

The Avengers

3

2

1

/Masked Love/

It's dark in Steve's room. It has been a hectic week. They had saved the world from alien forces. Fought beside a god. Right now he wants to sleep even after all those years he did. Resting his eyes for a moment. Then he heard it. Turning quickly he grabbed the other presence in the room. Slamming them hard on the bed. In the moonlight he caught a glimpse of a face.

"Hello Steve." The voice he hasn't heard in a long time. Sitting up he reaches for the light. Turning it on he sees the person.

"Sally?" she smiles at him. She is slightly older looking now. But not all the years of him in ice. She looks still herself

"How?" Sitting up she takes him in. They take each other in. She rolls off the bed. Steve steps toward her curious. Reaching out he touches her to make sure she is real. "You're dead." He read the file.

"To everyone who knows me, yes."

"But how are you this young." Collecting herself she breaths deeply looking away out the window. Turning back to the hero of America in her era. Looking at him so full or sorrow and regret.

"The Russians. They had me. More they kept me to keep one of their soldiers in line."

"Soldiers?"

"Ask Natasha about Winter Soldier." Her wrist begins to blink red. "I have to go."

"Go? Go where?" She moves to the window if his apartment.

"I have to go back." The light begins to flicker faster. Steve moves over and grabs her before she can move out the window. "Let me go."

"Tell me what is going on." Steve is forced off her. The man who barged in on them blocking the two apart. "Sally?"

"Steve, please." she says softly. Her body jolts and spasms as the light turns from red to blue. The man moves in picking her up. The man is masked but glares at Steve.

"SALLY!" he begins to move. But the man throws something on the ground to fill the area between them with smoke and fire. But he can see the soldier hold her close to him. Her body had stopped seizing. "Who are you? Where are you taking her?" With one final glare they're gone. Steve wanted answers. He received none.

The End

/Masked Love/


End file.
